Will Of Heaven

二十四

Tea House

✤

AROUND noon, we decided to go to our respective homes. We did not only talk about politics all day long since elder brother wants to keep changing the subject to paintings and poetry whenever it is mentioned. The host leads the direction of our conversation and there is no choice but to follow. I reckon it was due to my presence. Both of them must have talked about it before my arrival.

My carriage catches up with Yang Fang. Remembering my mean words just now, I feel a little apologetic. Thus, I looked out of my window and told him despite the curtain obstructing his view “What I said just now was out of good intention. This Princess hopes you understand, I did not mean to hurt your feelings” we're still childhood friends at the end of the day, I wouldn't deliberately mean to him. If he's with Siyu then what's the guarantee that the first prince faction won't have infighting? With Renshu's influence over the Sun clan, if Siyu didn't cast him out, he'll be outcasted by his whole faction instead, unable to raise on his own, the other factions won't associate with him as well. He shouldn't side with any faction right now.

Not long after, Yang Fang's chiseled yet boyish face came to view as he raised the curtains of his carriage. A mild smile brightens up his cold face a bit “I know, princess. Worry not, I'm not planning on betting all of my stakes to the first prince. How about you princess? Will you truly remain neutral at the end?” although he was smiling, there was some kind of inexplicable meaning behind it. His carriage then speeded up.

∞

Jia Xu has been silent ever since the incident, he didn't give any hint of communicating with me, nor did he send me anything to express his apologies. He probably knows I'm beyond furious, besides, the news of our engagement being cut off has most likely reached his ears. There was no point in personally meeting him, but I wouldn't let the incident slide. He must apologize to me and give me a reasonable explanation for why he suddenly left me there.

Perhaps he's been lying low because he's somehow implicated with the gambling house raid or maybe he's just around the corner, plotting for his next move since he failed to capture an imperial princess. A sly fox like him wouldn't dare to commit a single mistake at this critical time despite his plans being obstructed, every move is well calculated.

“Your highness...” a passing maidservant whispered behind me.

Hand immediately erasing the crudely written curses to Jia Xu with a splotch of ink upon hearing her address me, I turned around in annoyance.

“What?” looking at her, I don't think she belongs in Youya palace, she doesn't look familiar at all. She comes near me and lowered her voice even more, as if afraid that someone else will hear her other than me

“Your highness, General Sun wanted to meet you at the second street's tea house... ” My eyes narrowed at the mention of his name.

Teeth gnashing in anger as I spat out in hatred “Impudent!” the servant girl was frightened at my words and immediately kowtowed to the ground.

“May her highness forgive this lowly servant” she keeps repeating those over and over again until her forehead bleeds “Enough! Who sent you?”

“I'm just a simple palace servant, passing orders, your highness”

“So a palace servant like you happened to pass an order from a high-ranking military official to a princess in the Palace? And you even directly entered my room without my permission?” I sneered, the palace servant was trembling in fear but she didn't reveal anything to me.

“Forget it, I shall ask the Imperial Household Department where you came from and then you will receive your rightful punishment”

Sun Renshu is a frightening man, to have people inside the Palace. How many of his spies are inside here I wonder? Not only that, he has several officials licking his boots, including those who used to look down on him and say vicious words because of his lowly background.

He had gone too far this time. Daring to invite a princess out of the Palace so bluntly.

“The General said if you didn't come he will let his majesty know that he has caught you lavishly spending in the gambling house”

Not only did he unscrupulously hurts me physically, he dares frame and threaten me. He didn't have an ounce of fear and respect towards me, where was the prestige of the imperial family? It was simply nonexistent in his eyes.

“He used to be nothing but a lowly servant stable boy. Who does he think he is?!” I can feel my nerves pulsating heavily on my forehead, heat spreading on my face. I probably look so red in anger. I never thought that someone can get me so mad aside from Jia Xu. Turns out with Renshu's impudence, he could get me riled up without even appearing.

Left without choice, I headed out to our meeting place. This is the third time I'm sneaking out of the Palace, the first time was when I was a child with Siyu and Yang Fang, the second time was when I attempt to secretly visit my brother which lands me in this situation. Hopefully, this would not become a regular occurrence.

As soon as I saw his sculpted profile in the tea house my blood started to boil, I don't think I can calm down in his presence, I have so many grudges against him.

I snapped at him when he saw me yet he remained sitting, merely bowing his head in greetings.

“A low born is still a low born, ignorant of good manners and behavior” he sighed at my words, back down his chair, and stood up.

For a moment, I was intimidated by his towering height and feral visage.

He straighten his arms and cupped his fist with a solemn bow to salute. I let out a relieved breath as he did so, of course, this wasn't still enough to quell down my anger.

Brow raised, I commanded him “You should kneel”

However, he didn't do as told. He sat down before me. “Don't make a fuss, we're outside”

The audacity to sit before me! He added fuel to the fire by pointing at the seat before him and told me “Sit, your highness” Am I his pet he can order around?

At this point, I feel like I want to kill him. I've never been so humiliated, and never been this angry my whole life as if I've accumulated a thousand years of restrained madness.

Perhaps he knows what I'm feeling, he's looking at me in a taunting manner.

“I don't want to,” I said with emphasis

He poured himself a cup of tea “Remain standing then”

I give him my deathly glare to which he laughed at “You can't intimidate anyone with that glare”

In defense, I immediately retorted “My servants do! They trembled in fright!”

My dear readers, you must have gotten grasp of Xian's personality now, she's not a white lotus flower. She's not perfect and I want her that way, she's arrogant and domineering yet she can be easily intimidated in front of a man with sharp appearance and frightening aura, she's not that innocent and kind but she can be reasoned with (if she didn't let her anger get the better of her). Ultimately, she can be a paper tiger but it would be underestimating her too much to say that she's harmless.

For those who are asking for Renshu's POV, sorry but his pov will have to wait until the story is nearing its end. Until then, I want him to remain a mystery .

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